by Becky Andrus | Jun 27, 2022 | Health and Wellness
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Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: June 23, 2022
CONTACT: Chelsea Wuth, 517-241-2112, [email protected]
First mosquito-borne virus of 2022 detected in Michigan mosquitoes
Residents urged to protect against mosquito bites
LANSING, Mich. – Mosquitoes recently collected in Bay County have tested positive for Jamestown Canyon virus (JCV) at the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services Bureau of Laboratories (MDHHS BOL). These are the first infected mosquito pools detected for 2022. Residents are reminded that the best way to protect themselves against JCV and other mosquito-borne illnesses, including Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) and West Nile virus (WNV), is to prevent mosquito bites.
Every summer in Michigan, bites from mosquitoes carry the risk of spreading diseases to people and animals. JCV sickened six Michiganders in 2021. Also reported last year were 46 cases of WNV and one case of EEE. Seven of the WNV cases resulted in death.
The JCV virus is spread to people through bites from infected mosquitoes. Most cases occur from late spring through mid-fall. Illness can develop within a few days to two weeks following a bite from an infected mosquito. While most people do not become ill, initial symptoms can include fever, headache and fatigue. In rare cases, it can cause severe disease in the brain and/or spinal cord including encephalitis and meningitis.
“It only takes one bite from an infected mosquito to cause a severe illness,” said Dr. Natasha Bagdasarian, MDHHS chief medical executive. “We urge Michiganders to take precautions such as using an EPA-registered insect repellent when outdoors, avoiding areas where mosquitoes are present if possible, and wearing clothing to cover arms and legs to prevent bites.”
While the JCV is found throughout much of the U.S., cases have been increasing in the Midwest. This likely reflects increased awareness and testing, but may also be due to an increase in the presence of the virus in the environment. This is the second year that the MDHHS BOL is offering virus testing of mosquito pools collected by local health departments and county mosquito control programs. Testing is offered to improve detection and notification of mosquito-borne viruses.
JCV can be spread by mosquitoes that become infected when they feed on deer or other animals that have the virus in their blood. Infected mosquitoes spread the virus to other animals or people through bites. Arboviruses including WNV and EEE spread when mosquitoes contract the virus from biting infected birds then biting a human.
Residents can stay healthy by using simple, effective strategies to protect themselves and their families. The following steps are recommended to avoid mosquito-borne diseases:
- Apply insect repellents that contain the active ingredient DEET, or other EPA-approved products to exposed skin or clothing. Always follow the manufacturer’s directions for use.
- Wear light-colored, long-sleeved shirts and long pants when outdoors. Apply insect repellent to clothing to help prevent bites.
- Maintain window and door screening to help keep mosquitoes outside.
- Empty water from mosquito breeding sites around the home, such as buckets, unused kiddie pools, old tires or similar sites where mosquitoes lay eggs.
For more information, visit Michigan.gov/EmergingDiseases. |
by Becky Andrus | Jun 27, 2022 | Transportation
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Extreme speeds during the pandemic captures police attention
In response to a dramatic increase in speeding drivers beginning with the pandemic stay-at-home advisories in 2020 and continuing now, traffic safety experts and law enforcement officials are working to understand the behavior.
On this week’s edition of the Talking Michigan Transportation podcast, Carol Flannagan, director of the Center for Management of Information for Safe and Sustainable Transportation (CMISST) at the University of Michigan (UM) and research professor at UM’s Transportation Research Institute (UMTRI), talks about her research and theories about the epidemic of speeding and other risky behavior.
Listen now: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1374205/10830605-extreme-speeds-during-the-pandemic-captures-police-attention
This comes as the Michigan Office of Highway Safety Planning (OHSP) and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) are once again partnering on a regional traffic safety campaign. As noted in their news release: “As part of the ‘Great Lakes, High Stakes’ campaign, dozens of municipal, county and Michigan State Police (MSP) law enforcement agencies across Michigan will focus on speeding drivers between June 18 and 26.”
Among other topics, Flannagan talks about the challenging decisions for auto manufacturers in rolling out automated vehicle (AV) technology. She acknowledges that it’s much easier for AVs to communicate and predict what other vehicles will do rather than what humans will do.
She also discusses:
- Effectiveness of high-visibility enforcement and impacts on driver behavior.
- Crash stats. From 2011 to 2019, fatalities were flat, but in July 2020 the rate of speeding-related fatalities spiked.
- Frontal automatic emergency braking is effective, reducing frontal crashes by 50 percent.
- Manufacturers have been shifting from warning systems for drivers to automatic systems, which is much more effective.
Also discussed, the resistance and challenges to acceptance of Advance Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) and projections for broad adoption. Just this week, the NHTSA released data on the topic, but there are concerns about context.
And a reference to a supercut video of Elon Musk predicting the timeframe for broad deployment of AV technology.
Podcast photo: Carol A. Flannagan, Ph.D., Research Professor, University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute (UMTRI).
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by Becky Andrus | Jun 27, 2022 | Regional News
Governor Whitmer Signs Bills to Lower Health Care Costs and Increase Public Safety, Among Other Legislation
LANSING, Mich. — On Friday, Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed six bipartisan bills — House Bills 4173, 4799, 4800, 5659, and 5660 and Senate Bill 447 — bringing the total of bipartisan bills signed by Governor Whitmer to 865.
“I am proud to sign six bipartisan bills,” said Governor Whitmer. “Since I took office, I have signed 865 bipartisan bills, and our record of effective collaboration will help us stay focused on growing Michigan’s economy, creating good-paying jobs, and lowering costs. Let’s continue to work together to get things done that put Michiganders first.”
Lowering Health Care Costs
Senate Bill 447 fosters more competitive health care pricing by increasing transparency surrounding costs and coverage. This bill requires an insurer to provide a large employer group customer with specific information about costs of its insurance plan upon request.
“Everyone knows insurance is a major cost in our lives. I’m glad the legislature and the Governor were able to support this change which can lead to greater transparency and lower insurance costs for the people of Michigan,” said state Senator Dan Lauwers (R-Brockway Township)
Senate Bill 447 was sponsored by Sen. Dan Lauwers, R – Brockway Township, and a copy can be found here.
Increasing Public Safety in Communities
House Bill 4173 will help communities stay safe by increasing the maximum allowable reward that county boards of commissions can offer and pay an individual for information that leads to the arrest or conviction of criminal suspects. Under previous law, the reward was limited to $2,000.
“This common sense law will improve public safety and help with criminal investigations. I’m grateful that this additional tool will be available to Michigan counties,” said state Representative Kara Hope (D-Holt)
House Bill 4173 was sponsored by Rep. Kara Hope, D – Holt, and a copy can be found here.
House Bill 4799 creates the Michigan Uniform Assignment of Rents Act (MUARA) which provides and regulates rights and responsibilities for renters, landlord-borrowers and creditors. House Bill 4799 was sponsored by Rep. Graham Filler, R – DeWitt, and a copy can be found here.
House Bill 4800 is tie-barred to House Bill 4799 and specifies that an action to enforce an assignment of rents under MUARA would not be an action to recover debt for the purposes of foreclosure.
“The work done on this bipartisan legislation will bring needed stability and clarity to our Uniform Assignment of Rent laws,” said state Representative Kyra Harris Bolden (D-Southfield).” I am proud to have worked across the aisle to revise outdated statue with common sense solutions that will benefit Michiganders.”
House Bill 4800 was sponsored by Rep. Kyra Harris Bolden, D – Southfield, and a copy can be found here.
Protecting Vulnerable Michiganders
House Bills 5659 and 5660 together increase transparency in adult care facilities and nursing home facilities by requiring reports containing feedback and input from inspectors of these facilities that are regulated by the Bureau of Community Health Systems.
House Bills 5659 and 5660 were sponsored by Rep. Jeff Yaroch, R – Richmond and can be found here and here.
by Becky Andrus | Jun 22, 2022 | Regional News
Gov. Whitmer Statement on President’s Support to Temporarily Pause the Federal Gas Tax to Save Michiganders Money at the Pump
LANSING, Mich. – Governor Gretchen Whitmer issued the following statement after President Biden called for a temporary pause of the federal gas tax. In March, Governor Whitmer sent a letter to Congress calling on the federal government to pass the Gas Prices Relief Act to suspend the federal gas tax, and on Tuesday she urged President Biden to support a federal gas tax holiday and work with Congress to get this done. She has also called for a temporary suspension of the state sales tax on gas, which would save drivers nearly 50 cents a gallon when combined with a temporary pause of the federal gas tax.
“Americans are feeling the pain at the pump with gas reaching $5 a gallon this month, so I am glad that President Biden is calling for a temporary suspension of the federal gas tax. If we suspend the Michigan sales tax on gas and also get this done, we can save families nearly 50 cents a gallon right now.
“Here in Michigan, I am focused on providing even more relief to families by putting more money in their pockets as they face rising prices on everything from gas, groceries, and everyday expenses. In March, I called for a temporary suspension of the state sales tax on gas, and last month, I proposed MI Tax Rebate Right Now, a plan to send $500 to Michigan’s working families right away. I will work across the aisle with the Michigan Legislature and use every tool at my disposal to ensure working families can pay the bills and put food on the table.
“The American people are counting on all of us to provide real relief right now so they can pay the bills and put food on the table. I am confident that President Biden and Congress can work together to temporarily pause the federal gas tax, and in Michigan, I will continue finding creative ways to put money back in people’s pockets.”
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by Becky Andrus | Jun 22, 2022 | Recreation
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DNR News
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June 22, 2022
Contact: Jay Wesley, 616-490-5090 or Gary Whelan, 517-242-2764
Lake Michigan experiencing seasonal alewife die-off
 Alewife, small prey fish that reach 2 to 9 inches in length, are experiencing a seasonal die-off in Lake Michigan, an event that frequently occurred 20 to 60 years ago but has been rare in recent times.
Not native to the Great Lakes, alewife migrated from the Atlantic Ocean into the Great Lakes through the Welland Canal in the 1920s.
Alewife spend most of the year in deep, cold waters. In the spring and summer, they migrate to nearshore areas to spawn and search for food. Some alewife come out of winter in a weakened state and don’t tolerate changing conditions such as large temperature swings. The combination of poor over-winter condition, temperature changes and spawning stress cause the die-off.
“The die-off is larger than normal this year and something we have not seen in years,” said Jay Wesley, Lake Michigan basin coordinator for the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. “We are seeing the die-off extend from Muskegon all the way up to Cross Village and out to the Beaver Island complex.”
The DNR is fully aware of the situation and believes this is a natural event and not caused by pollution or disease. Both state and federal agencies annually collect alewife to evaluate their condition and abundance in Lake Michigan.
For more information on die-offs (also known as fish kills) in Michigan, visit Michigan.gov/FishHealth. The public is welcome to report fish kills at Michigan.gov/EyesInTheField; such reports are valuable to the DNR’s ability to manage the state’s aquatic resources.
If you suspect a fish kill is due to non-natural causes, call the nearest DNR office or Michigan’s Pollution Emergency Alert System at 800-292-4706. |
Note to editors: An accompanying photo is available below for download. Caption information follows.
- Alewife: Alewife, small prey fish that reach 2 to 9 inches in length, are experiencing a seasonal die-off in Lake Michigan, extending from Muskegon all the way up to Cross Village and out to the Beaver Island complex.
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